UK car sales rise in September

UK car sales rose by a better-than-expected 8.2 per cent in September.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders association said this morning that car registrations last month increased to 359,612 from 332,476 a year earlier, exceeding expectations by more than 26,000 cars.

September is a critical month for the industry, accounting for around 20 per cent of the full year’s registrations as it marks a twice-yearly change in vehicle registration plates.

“Although the economic outlook remains challenging, we are starting to see a tentative return of consumer confidence as motorists explore new products and the latest fuel-efficient technologies," said SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt.

Commenting on the figures, David Raistrick, UK manufacturing leader at Deloitte, said this morning: “My prognosis for new car sales over the coming year would be fairly bleak, other than for the reality that manufacturers may find themselves necessarily needing to offer extremely attractive deals to buy new cars in the UK.